Day 2 – College AU - A Lingering Memory

Summary: After spending his whole life homeschooled, Adrien is finally able to make some real friends when he starts University. With the Ladybug festival approaching, Adrien wonders if he will ever get to meet the superhero he's been crushing on for the last three years.

AUs: College, Homeschooled Adrien, No Chat Noir

It was fall in Paris, October had rolled in quickly and with it the famous Ladybug Festival. I looked around at the beginnings of decorations being set up in the courtyard of the University. The lampposts had red and black streamers linking them, and red balloons with black polka dots were everywhere. Many of the clubs and organizations within the school were setting up booths and I smiled as I thought of how my booth would look.

Well, not my booth exactly. The booth for the Ladybug club. I had joined the week after school started, when me and my roommate Nino were perusing the list of clubs and trying to decide on one.

"What about the anime club?" I had asked.

Nino had made a face and I couldn't help but chuckle. "Music appreciation club?" Nino offered.

I shrugged, "I don't know if that's really my thing." I looked further down the list. Then something caught my eyes. "There's a Ladybug Club?"

Nino groaned, "I thought she was joking about that."

I looked at him curiously.

"It's, uh, well, my girlfriend set it up. So, it's a new club. I thought she was joking when she mentioned it. Alya's obsessed with Ladybug and she runs the Ladyblog-"

I quickly held up a hand to cut him off. "Wait, your girlfriend runs the Ladyblog?"

Nino nodded, "Don't make fun of me for it, okay?"

I shook my head. "Of course not. I'm a huge fan of the superhero and the blog. Can I meet her?"

And that was how I met Alya, and by extension Marinette. It turned out the three of them had all known each other for years. And they gladly welcomed me into their group. Nino and I became best friends due to being roommates, and Alya and I became close because of our obsession with a certain spotted superhero. As for Marinette, I wasn't too sure how she felt about me. We seemed to get along okay, but most of the time she couldn't even have a whole conversation with me without stuttering.

I looked around again, as I helped Alya set up the Ladybug club booth. The club had four members currently and two unofficial members.

Alya was president and she had named me vice-president. Two other guys had joined soon after, Marc and Nathaniel. Neither Nino nor Marinette had wanted to join the club but both had offered their assistance in preparation for the festival.

"Set the comics up over there," Alya directed, "And we can put the bracelets and hats over here."

We had decided to sell merchandise to earn some money for the club. Marc and Nathaniel had made some comics featuring Ladybug, and Marinette had teamed up with Alya to make hats and bracelets. It had been nice of Marinette to help, especially since she couldn't attend the festival with us.

Alya had stared at her in disbelief when she told us yesterday.

"What do you mean you aren't going?" Alya asked.

Marinette blushed, "Sorry, Alya. But you know how busy the bakery gets during the festival. My parents really need my help."

Alya sighed and pulled her friend into a hug. "I get it. But one year you have to come to the festival with me, okay?"

"Okay," Marinette squeaked, "and I'll make sure I bring back some of the treats from the bakery."

I brushed off my hands just as we finished setting up the booth. "It looks perfect!"

Alya was beaming, "Great guys! Now if you can hold down the fort for a bit, I need to do a live stream for the Ladyblog. The lighting is perfect right now."

We sent her on her way and settled into the folding chairs we had set up behind our tables.

I found myself looking around excitedly, this time at the sky. Alya had mentioned that Ladybug was known to stop by the festivals to check them out.

"We'll for sure get to see her!"

As time passed, my excitement began to fade. We were more than an hour into the festival and there still hadn't been any sign of Ladybug. Why did I assume she would come to our festival? It's just a university festival. Nothing big. Nothing special. She'd probably rather attend one in the center of Paris. Somehow the evening wasn't feeling as fun anymore. I stood from my chair.

"You okay, dude?" Nino asked, glancing up from his phone.

I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah, I just kind of forgot I have to work on that Physics project. In all the excitement I totally blanked."

Nino laughed, "Dude, you can't miss the festival. You worked so hard."

I waved him off, "It's all right. I got to see enough. I'm gonna head out to work on the project for a bit."

The walk to the sciences building was cold and lonely. I still wasn't sure how I had allowed myself to get sucked into this fantasy that I'd get to meet Ladybug.

Probably because you've dreamed of meeting her for so long.

Ever since the first sighting of Ladybug I'd been intrigued, but it wasn't until I heard her speech atop the Eiffel tower that I had started to develop a crush. There was something so attractive about the fire in her as she challenged Hawkmoth.

The final straw was the day she saved me.

There was an akuma and I was at a photo shoot. She had flown in just as I was about to be hit by a stream of lava. We had rolled across the grass, landing with her on top of me.

I had stared up at her, speechless at seeing her up close. She had glanced down and upon noticing our positions, blushed as dark as her suit.

I couldn't help but laugh thinking back to that day. Sadly, it didn't seem like I'd ever get the chance to really meet her. She was far too busy saving Paris to socialize with me.

As I stepped into the physics lab, I shivered. Why is the room so damn cold? I looked around and saw that a window had been left open. I grumbled some complaints, making my way to the window to close it.

But when I reached the window, I froze.

There's no way I am this lucky, I thought as I stared at the red-clad figure perched against the building. She had her yoyo hooked up onto the roof and was watching the festivities below with a soft smile.

My heart leapt in my chest. This was my chance.

"Ladybug?"

She jumped and let out a strangled yelp as she twisted around toward me.

I smiled, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." I strained to see her face through the darkness. Was she upset that I had interrupted her? But no, that almost looked like she was… blushing?

"Adr- I mean, hello. No, I'm fine. You didn't scare me really. I mean, I shouldn't have been just hanging around outside the window. I probably scared you. Not that I think you scare easily. I just-" she paused, taking a deep breath. "What are you doing up here? I thought everyone would be at the festival."

I shrugged. "I was down there before but," I stopped. What was I going to say? I couldn't exactly tell her I left because she wasn't there. "I forgot I had a project to work on." I did my best to look sheepish.

Ladybug watched me thoughtfully.

"And what're you doing up here?" I asked. "I thought you only attend the main festival by city hall.

Ladybug looked back at the festival. "I came to check on some friends- Gah! I mean, I like to check out lots of festivals. I just don't always make an appearance."

Friends? Did that mean Ladybug knew someone at my university? I stared into her eyes. How was it possible for eyes to be so blue?

"Well, then I'm glad I had to come work on my project. If it means I got to see you."

A squeak sounded from Ladybug and I realized what I had said.

"Oh, god. That sounded so weird didn't it. I didn't mean, it's just," I took a deep breath. "You saved me once and I always wanted to thank you but I never got to talk to you again and I figured you probably wouldn't even remember me so I was just happy that I finally got to see you. And so… thank you." I groaned internally at how lame I sounded. She probably thought I was a complete dork.

She stared out at the lights below us. "I remember saving you."

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Last July. The Eruptor Akuma attack."

My jaw dropped. She really did remember me. She remembered me out of a million other people she'd saved.

She blushed. "Not that I was trying to remember you specifically or anything. I mean, it's just that I recognized you. Since you're a model." Her eyes went wide and I wondered what she was thinking as she stammered her words. "N-not that I'm some kind of stalker or anything. I just-" she sighed, "I'm really into fashion."

I could feel a warmth spread through my chest. Ladybug knew who I was. Ladybug.

"That's really cool."

She gave me a shy smile. "You're really cool. I mean, you must be cool. Cold! Because the window is open. And… it's cold outside." Her voice quieted until it was barely a whisper and I watched in awe as she tugged at a pigtail.

A thought struck me then. Was it possible that I was making Ladybug nervous?

"Were you planning on going down to the festival?" I asked.

Ladybug chewed her lip in thought. "I guess it couldn't hurt to make a quick appearance. After all the work everyone went through."

"You know, Ladybug? You are really amazing."

She shook her head. "I'm nothing special. Not without my mask." Her fingers drifted to the edge of her mask.

I looked down at my hands as I tapped the window sill. "I think you must be just as special without your mask."

Ladybug moved closer, watching me curiously. "You really think so?"

I nodded, "Of course! It's not like me. Everyone knows about me as a perfect model, but no one really knows me as a person."

Ladybug reached out a hand and it brushed against my own. "I- I'd like to get to- get to know you."

I nearly melted right there. Ladybug was telling me she wanted to get to know me. This could not be happening. I smiled, grasping her hand with my own. "I think I'd like that."

I could've sworn I heard Ladybug mutter something before taking a deep breath and leaning in. She pressed her lips against mine.

I was lost in the sensation immediately. They were soft and warm and sweet. So so sweet.

She pulled back and my eyes fluttered open. "You should go enjoy the festival with your friends," she said quietly.

I nodded dumbly and my heart leapt when she giggled. With a wave, she was gone from my sight.

I stayed where I was, enjoying the way the taste of her lips lingered on my own.

A moment later, I heard Alya screaming in the courtyard. "Ladybug!"

I could only laugh. This was the best Ladybug festival ever, and I couldn't wait for next year.

A/N: thank you for reading day 2 even though it's a day late. This will be a multi chapter fic as I will be including prompts for days 5 And 17 in this universe. See you on day 5!